Lock



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. DITCHFIELD LOCK I'ilad April 16, 1938' April 2,1940. F. DITCHFIELD LOCK Filed April 16. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jiimmr EGrim- Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOK FrankDitchfield, Cleveland,

Youngstown Steel Door Company,

Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to looks and more particularly to looks forsliding car doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide locks for sliding doors sodesigned that they may be mounted in their entirety upon the walls orauxiliary doors of railway freight cars and be adapted for lockingengagement with doors slidably related to said walls or auxiliary doorswhile obviating the attachment of any portion of the locks to saidslidably related doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors in which thestresses imposed thereon shall be distributed over a substantiallygreater area than is possible with present locks for sliding doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors capable ofdistributing stresses imposed thereon over a large area and of absorbingautomatically all clearance between the doors and their stops when thelocks are in operative position.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors mounted forswinging movement in a horizontal plane and capable in looking positionof automatically absorbing slack of the doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors embodying meansfor automatically taking up slack of the doors and capable of beingsealed independently of such means.

A further object is to provide swingably mounted locks for sliding doorsembodying tapered pins operable to take up slack of the doors whereinthe locks may be swung to inoperative position without raising the pins.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors adapted to befabricated as complete units embodying locking members swingable in ahorizontal plane and carrying means cooperable with the locking membersto secure automatic take-up 40 of slack of the doors and other means forfastening said members in locking position.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the descriptionthereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specifica- 45 tion Figure 1 is apartial elevation showing a lock embodying the instant invention appliedto the double doors of an automobile car.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 50 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontalsection taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a lock base. Figure 5 is a plan view of alocking member of 66 the lock.

Figure 6 is a view Qmllar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of theinvention.

Figure '7 is a vertical section taken on line 1-I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 I 8-8 of Figure 6.

In the drawings the locks embodying the instant invention areillustrated in connection with the double doors of an automobile car. Inthis application of the locks they are shown fastened to the auxiliarydoor of the double door construction. The locks are to be understood tobe applicable to freight cars utilizing a single door in each wall inwhich case the locks will be fastened to the car side wall. In thisevent, only such changes in the mode of attachment of the lock which areclear to those skilled in the art will be required. The structure of thelocks, however, their function and association with the slid ing doorswith which they are related are unaflcected. I

The numeral I0 designates the auxiliary door of a double doorconstruction utilized in cars wherein bulky lading such as automobiles,furniture and the like are shipped. The main door of this double doorconstruction is designated by the reference numeral II.

Insofar as pertinent to the instant invention the auxiliary door I0embodies a metallic panel I2 providedwith a plurality of spacedhorizontal corrugations I3 which merge into the plane of the panelinwardly of the vertical edges thereof as indicated at I4. Secured tothe inner face of the auxiliary door III at its forward margin is a postI5 substantially Z-shaped in section. The post I5 is riveted to thisedge of the door as by rivets I6 so as to be movable with the door. Therivets I6 are utilized additionally to fasten to said edge of the door asubstantially Z-shaped member I! which provides astop and in conjunctionwith the deformed flange I8 01 the post I5 provides a recess I9 for thereception of the forward margin of the main door II.

The main door II like the auxiliary door I0 embodies a metallic panel I2having the spaced horizontal corrugations I3 formed therein whichterminate short of the vertical edges of the doors as'indicated at l4.The forward margin of the main door II is reinforced by means of avertical stiffener 20 secured to said edge of the door as by rivets 2|.The stifiening member 20 is provided with spaced vertical flanges 22 and23, the former of which is adapted to engage the stop member H to limitclosing movement of the main door and seal the meeting edges of thedoors. The 65 flange 23 cooperates with the flange 24 of the door stopI! which lies in overlapping relationship with the front margin of themain door to further aid in sealing the meeting edges of the main andauxiliary doors.

In the double door construction illustrated, the novel lock is appliedin its entirety to the auxiliary door l0 thus obviating the need forattachment of any of the lock parts to the main door The lock embodies abase plate 25 secured to the auxiliarydoor as by rivets 26. The baseplate embodies spaced front and rear walls 21 and 28 connected by thevertical wall 29 which as more clearly appears from Figure 3 of thedrawings abuts the main door stop At its upper and lower ends the rearwall 28 merges into the plate attaching flanges 38 and 3| through whichthe rivets 26 extend. Hinge ears-32 and 33 project outwardly from theattaching flanges and 3|, these ears being connected with the upper andlower portions of the front wall 21 by means of the upper and lowerportions 33 and 34 into which the said front wall merges. Openings 35and 36 are formed in the hinge cars 32 and 33 and a hinge pin 3'! isadapted to extend through these openings. The walls 21, 28 and 29 of thebase plate 25 provide a housing for the reception of a verticallymovable tapered pin 38. The base plate 25 is formed additionally with anoutwardly projecting staple 39 having an opening 48 extendingtherethrough.

The base plate 25 carries a locking member designated in its entirety bythe reference numeral 4|. In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, the locking member'4lcomprises a rolled channel shaped member 42 having a web 43 andvertically disposed inwardly extending flanges 44 and 45. An anglemember 46 preferably in the form of a casting having flanges 4! and 48is secured to the channel shaped member 42 as by means of rivets 49extending through the web 43 of the channel member and the flange 41 ofthe cast angle member. member and cast angle member, respectively, aresecured together as by means of rivets 50. The angle member 46 is formedwith integral hinge ears 5| and 52 provided with elongated openings 53and 54. The angle member 46 is shaped to provide an upwardly openingchannel recess defined by the spaced vertical flanges 55 and 56 and thehorizontal connecting flange 51. Aligned seal receiving openings 58 and59 are formed in the verticalflanges 55 and 56.

The cast angle member 46 carries the outwardly projecting verticallyspaced flanges 60 and 6|. These flanges are formed with openings and inconjunction with the vertical flanges 55 and 56 and the connectinghorizontal flange 51 provide means for the reception of a locking pin 62carried by the locking member.

When assembled the tapered pin 38 is disposed between the front and rearwalls of the base plate and the locking member is connected to the baseplate by means of the hinge pin 31 which extends through the alignedopenings formed in the ears provided respectively on the base plate andon the locking member.

The operation of the lock will be apparent from the foregoing detaileddescription.

Assuming that the front edge of the main door II has been broughtsufficiently close to the door stop I! so as to permit the engagement ofthe said door by the locking member, the vertical flange 45 of thelocking member will be brought into en- The flanges 44 and 48 of thechannel gagement with the bearing plate 63 secured to the flange 22 onthe vertical stiflener, preferably by means of welding. Inasmuch as theplate 83 and the flange 22 lie behind the overlapping flange 24 of thedoor stop II, this flange is provided with a recess 64 through which theflange 45 of the locking member extends for engagement with the bearingplate 63. ing member is engaged with one side of the tapered pin 38, theother side of which bears against the flange 29 of the base plate. Inthis position of the locking member the staple 39 carried by the baseplate extends through an opening 65 formed in the locking member andlies between. the spaced flanges 68 and 6| provided on the cast anglemember 46. The locking pin 62 extends through an opening formed in theflange 51 and through the openings provided in the flanges 60 and 6| andin the staple 39. A seal may then be passed through the openings 58 and59 formed in the vertical flanges 55 and 56 and through an alignedopening 66 formed in the pin 62 thus sealing the lock. Attention isinvited to the fact that the opening 65 formed in the locking member issubstantially longer than the staple 39 formed on the base plate.

In the drawings the main door II is illustratedin engagement with thefront stop I! whereby the main door is fully closed. In view of theconstruction of the lock, however, it will be readily apparent thatsecure locking of the main and auxiliary doors may be had when the maindoor is not fully closed. This is accomplished by reason of theelongated openings 53 and 54 formed in the ears 5| and 52 carried by theangle member 46 of the locking member 4| and by the opening 65 formed inthe locking member through which the staple 39 projects. With referenceto Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the locking membermay be moved laterally until the clearance between the hinge pin 31 andthe elongated openings 53 and 54 is taken up and yet secure lockingengagement between the locking member and the main door. The clearancebetween the staple 39 and the opening 65 formed in the locking memberalso permits this lateral movement of the locking member with respect tothe doors. The main door can, therefore, be locked prior to assuming itsfull closed position. In this position of the main door the tapered pin38 abuts against the flange 29 of the base plate and the vertical flange44 of the channel locking member. Movement of the main door in openingdirection is thereby prevented. The main door, however, may move inclosing direction whereupon the tapered pin 38 by the action of gravitywill be lowered thereby moving the locking member toward the left asviewed in Figure 3 of the drawings and causing the slack created by theclosing movement of the door to be taken up. When the main door assumesits fully closed position illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, allmovement either in closing or in opening direction is prevented.

In order to unlock the main door II the seal which has been passedthrough the aligned openings 58, 59 and 66 is removed and the lockingpin 62 is raised until it is disengaged from the staple 39. The taperedpin 38 is raised so as to be disengaged from the vertical flange 44 ofthe locking member. The tapered pin 38 is limited in its elevation bymeans of a stop member 61 secured to the auxiliary door by means of arivet 68. After the pins 38 and 62 are thus raised the locking member 4|is swung outwardly so as to be The flange 44 of the lockdisengaged fromthe plate 63 and the flange 24 of the front stop II. Outward swingingmovement of the locking member is limited by the engagement between theangular portions 69 of the hinge ears 5| and 52 with the auxiliary doorI8, thereby insuring that the locking member will not project outwardlybeyond the tunnel clearance line.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that the lock is aself-contained unit capable of being pre-assembled and furnished as aunit to the railroads. It obviates the application of any lock parts tothe main door of an automobile car or to the single door of a box car.It provides, by reason of the continuity of the vertical flanges 44 and45 of the channel locking member, bearing surfaces far in excess ofbearing surfaces heretofore attainable in looks for sliding car doors.Moreover, the seal does not engage the tapered pin so that danger ofbroken seals as a result of possible jumping of the pin is eliminated.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 ofthe drawings. The base plate I8. of the modified form of the inventionembodies front and rear walls II and I2 spaced transversely relative tothe doors and connected by a vertical web I3. The side wall I4 of thebase plate abuts the front stop I1 and is connected with the web I3 bymeans of the spaced ribs I5 and I6. At its upper end the rear wall 12merges into the attaching flange 11 while at its lower end the rear wallI2 merges into an attaching flange I8. Rivets I9 passing through theattaching flanges I1 and I8 are used to fasten the base plate to theauxiliary door I8.

The front wall II merges at its upper and lower ends, respectively intoflanges 88 and BI which are extended laterally in order to provide hingeears 82 and 83. There is thus provided a housing for the reception of atapered pin 84 substantially the same as the tapered pin 38 with theexception that one side of the pin is formed so as to lie at an obtuseangle relative to the front face of the pin as indicated at 85.

In the considered embodiment of the invention the locking member 86 is acast member. This member is formed adjacent its upper and lower endswith reinforcing ribs 81 and 88 which as more clearly appears fromFigure 6 of the drawings are extended laterally to provide hinge ears 89and 98. The ears 89 and 98 are extended as indicated at 9| and 92 andthe rear edges of these extensions are disposed at an angle to theauxiliary door as indicated at 93. In addition the hinge ears 89 and 98are provided with elongated openings 94 and 95.

The locking member 86 is further reinforced by means of the spaced ribs96 and 91 between which an opening 98 is formed in the web 99 of thelocking member. Through this opening a staple I88 formed integral withthe base plate I8 is adapted to extend. Flanges IM and I82 extendinwardly from the web 99 of the locking member, the flange I8I beingadapted for engagement with the bearing plate 63 secured to the flange22 of the door stiffener 28 and the flange I82 being adapted forengagement with the inclined side of the tapered pin 84. It will beobserved that the flange I82 is therefore correspondingly inclined withregard to the inclined side of the tapered pin. The reinforcing ribs 81,96 and 91 are provided with vertically aligned openings as clearlyindicated in Figure 6 of the drawings, whereby the locking member 86 isadapted to carry a locking and sealing pin I83.

Spaced vertical flanges I84 and I86 extend upwardly from the reinforcingrib 81. These flanges together with the upper end of the locking pin I83are provided with horizontally aligned openings I86, I81 and I88 for thereception of a seal.

A hinge pin I89 passing through the aligned openings in the earsprovided on the base plate and on the locking member is utilized to swinably secure the locking member upon the base plate.

With particular reference to Figure 7 of the drawings, it will beobserved that the rivet 19 which lies in the path of movement of thetapered pin 84 has its head adjacent to the pin flattened somewhat asindicated at II8. Also the rear face of the tapered pin is recessed asindicated at I II so as to provide a groove within which the flattenedhead II8 of the rivet I9 is received. The groove III terminates in ashoulder II2 whereby the rivet head H8 is utilized in conjunction withthe groove II I and the shoulder I I2 to limit the vertical liftingmovement of the tapered pin.

It will be apparent without further description that the lock of theconsidered embodiment of the invention possesses all of the attributesof the first described embodiment of the invention. It has the abilityto absorb automatically any slack which might be introduced when themain door is not fully closed. It provides at least the same desirablebearing area secured from the lock shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive ofthe drawings. In addition, by reason of the inclination of the side ofthe tapered pin and the conforming flange I 82 which abuts said side,the locking member 86 may be swung to inoperative position without thenecessity of first raising the tapered pin. This will. become apparentfrom a consideration of Figure 8 of the drawings. The swinging movementof the locking member to its inoperative position is limited by the rearedge 93 of the ears formed on the locking member so that said memberwill not project beyond the tunnel clearance line.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in thedetails of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. Itis intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes hecomprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple on said plate, a channel shapedlocking member, means mounting said lock member upon said base plate forswinging movement in a horizontal plane and for translatory movement.said locking member having a web and inwardly extending verticalflanges, one of said flanges engaging a side of said tapered pin in theoperative position of said locking member and a locking pin carried bysaid locking member adapted to engage said staple to releasably fastensaid locking member to said base plate.

2. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from saidplate, a channel shaped locking member having hinge ears provided withlaterally elongated openings, a hinge pin extending through said ears onsaid base plate and said elongated cooperable with said staple carriedby said locking member.

3. A lock for sliding car doors comprising abase plate, a tapered pincarried bysaid base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from saidplate, a channel shaped locking member having hinge ears provided withlaterally elongated openings, a hinge pin extending through said ears onsaid base plate and said elongated openings in said hinge ears of saidlocking member, said locking member engaging said tapered pin when inoperative position and a locking pin cooperable with said staple carriedby said locking member, the rear edges of said hinge ears on saidlocking member having portions which are angularly related to limitswinging movement of said locking member in one direction.

4. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, alocking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging andtranslatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member havingspaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, saidflanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical memberon said door, and means cooperable with said staple for releasablyfastening said locking member to said base plate.

5. A lock for slidin car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from saidplate, a locking member having hinge ears, a hinge pin extending throughaligned openings in said ears, the openings in the ears on said lockingmember being larger than said hinge pin, spaced vertical flanges on saidlocking member adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical memberon said door, and means cooperable with said staple for releasablyfastening said member to said base plate.

6. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pinhaving a side inclined at an obtuse angle to the front face of said pincarried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, alocking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging andtranslatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member havingspaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, saidflanges being adapted to engage said side of said tapered pin and avertical member on said door, said flange engaging said side of said pinbeing similarly inclined, and means cooperable with said staple forreleasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

7. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, alocking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging andtranslatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member havingspaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, saidflanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical memberon said door, means for limiting swinging movement of said lockingmember, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fasteningsaid locking member to said base plate.

8. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a locking member, means mounting said lockmember for swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate,said locking mem- Wage 9 pin when in operative position and a meniigjber having spaced vertical flanges extending in the same direction andtoward said tapered pin and a member on said door, said vertical flangesbeing engageable with'said tapered pin and said member and means for.releasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement.

9. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, hinge ears projecting from said plate, alocking member having hinge ears, a hinge pin extending through alignedopenings in said ears, the openings in the ears on said locking memberbeing larger than said hinge pin, spaced vertical flanges on saidlocking member adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical memberon said door, and means for releasably fastening said locking memberagainst swinging movement.

10. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a'tapred pincarried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, alocking member, means mounting said lock member for horizontal swingingand translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking memberhaving spaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin anddoor, said flanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and avertical member on said door, and means cooperable with said staple forreleasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

11. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pincarried by said base plate, a staple on said plate, a channel shapedlocking member, means mounting said lock member upon said base plate forswinging movement in a horizontal plane and for translatory movement,said locking member having a web and inwardly extending verticalflanges, one of said flanges engaging a side of said tapered pin in theoperative position of said locking member, an aperture in said webthrough which said staple is adapted to project and a locking pincarried by said locking member for association with said staple tofasten said locking member to said base plate.

12. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a stapleprojecting from said plate, gravity actuated take-up means carried bysaid plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member fortranslatory and swinging movements relative to said plate, said lockingmember having spaced inwardly directed vertical flanges engageable witha vertical member on said door and said gravity actuated take-up means,and a locking pin carried by said locking member adapted to beassociated with said staple for releasably fastening said locking memberto said base plate.

13. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a staple andhinge ears projecting from said plate, gravity actuated take-up meanscarried by said plate, a locking member having hinge ears, a hinge pinextending through aligned openings in said ears, the openings in theears of said locking member being larger than said hinge pin, spacedinwardly directed vertical flanges on said locking member engageablewith a vertical member on said door and said gravity actuated take-upmeans for absorbing-slack of said door, and means carried by saidlocking member engageable with said staple for releasably fastening saidlocking member to said base plate.

14. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, gravityactuated take-up means carried by said plate, a locking member, meansmounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movementsrelative to said base plate, said locking member having spaced verticalflanges extending in the same direction and engageable with said gravityactuated take-up means and a vertical member on said door, and means forreleasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement.

15. In a railway house car having a sliding door embodying a member, anda relatively stationary member carrying a door stop provided with aflange overlapping said door, a base plate secured to said relativelystationary member, a staple on said plate, a locking member, meansmounting said lock member on said plate for horizontal swinging andtranslatory movements, a tapered pin carried by said plate, spacedvertical flanges on said looking member, said flanges engaging saidtapered pin and said member on said door, said door stop flange beingcoped to permit said engagement with said member on said door, and alocking pin carried by said looking member engageable with said stapleto releasably fasten said locking member to said base plate. 7

16. In a railway house car having a sliding door embodying a verticalmember, and a relatively stationary member carrying a door stop having aslotted flange overlapping said door, a base plate secured to saidrelatively stationary member, take-up means carried by said base plate,a locking member, means ,mounting said lock member on said base platefor swinging and translatory movements, spaced vertical flanges on saidlocking member engaging said take-up means and said vertical member onsaid door,

said vertical flange which engages said vertical member on said doorextending through said slot for the purpose of said engagement, andmeans releasably fastening said locking member against swingingmovement,

FRANK DITCHFIEID.

